The recent information that Union Bank has gone to court seeking the winding up of Tinapa Business Resort must have come as a surprise to you. Management of Tinapa is equally surprised by this step taken by our partner and stakeholder for the reasons stated as follows;

The Management of Tinapa Business Resort Limited (TBRL), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with InterSwitch Limited to develop a Payment System Management and Verification solution for the Zone.

Interswitch Limited is an electronic transaction switching and payment processing company with a business footprint that covers the provision of shared, integrated message broker solutions for financial transactions, e-commerce, telecoms value-added services and e-billing within the Nigerian environment. Established in 2001 and highly respected by key players in the country’s financial sector, Interswitch Limited is an independent, private sector led, limited liability Company focused on facilitating the exchange of value between service providers (financial, telecommunications and utilities), merchants, their customers, & other stakeholders on a timely and continuous basis nationwide. Through its “Super Switch” infrastructure, InterSwitch provides an online, real-time electronic payment system to support automated customer transactions from different customer touch points and transaction channels.

As a first step in implementing her mandate to develop a Payment System Management and Verification solution in Tinapa, the company held a one day training workshop for tenants operating in the Zone on the 30th of June 2009.

The workshop which was facilitated by the Management of TBRL was intended to sensitise them on the need for an integrated sales monitoring, management and reporting regime that will facilitate the transaction of trade and other businesses within Tinapa. The organizers also utilized the opportunity to introduce the Tinapa Retail Pay Card (TRPC).

Following the Release of the Regulatory Framework for the Tinapa Free Zone & Resort, the Managing Director of Tinapa Business Resort Limited, Mr. Bassey Eyo Ndem, cordially invites the Calabar Chambers of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, The National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Cross River State Chapter as well as indigenous entrepreneurs in the Eighteen Local Government Areas of the State, Chairmen of Council, Vice Chairmen, Supervisors, Leaders of Local Government Legislative Councils and their Deputies to a One Day interactive Session on the Business Opportunities in and around Tinapa.

The South-South Economc Summit which was hosted by the six Governors of Nigeria's Southernmost States (Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta) has ended in Tinapa, Calabar. The event which took place from Wednesday 22nd to Friday 24th of April 2009, attracted about Twenty Thousand participants as well as observers.

The Summit was amongst other well meaning objectives, aimed at seeking and securing collaboration in transforming the region away from the current challenges she is facing, into one of prosperity.

Thus it sought to remove threats to the energy security of the region which has been impacted greatly by oil exploration, gas flaring as well as other related environmental challenges that accompanies these activities.

Finally, the Governors hope that the decisions reached at the Summit will form the first steps in ositioning the South-South for Global Competitiveness. This is expected to drive growth in the economies of the 6 states in the region and perhaps facilitate a turnaround nationally that will help Nigeria attain and surpass the Millennium Development Goals (MDGS).